Skeet and Trap

This is a discussion on Skeet and Trap within the General Firearm Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; Anyone got some recomendations for a O/U skeet and trap gun. The most I want to spend is $1500. Any help would be great thanks....

A buddy just bought a Browning Citori and wow what a fine gun. They make a number of variations in the model. He bought into a new one but last years model. Beautiful checkering and quality wood, pretty spiffy gold plated chokes, hard case, etc for.....$1400 I'm pretty sure.

There are several offerings in that price range. I highly recommend you borrow or try and rent a couple before you buy. Not all O/U feel the same, and not all work for everyone. It is a very personal thing. My experience has been that anyone can easily get to 45/50 or 48/50 with just about any O/U. But to get those other 2 birds requires a perfect fit.

Browning makes outstanding guns, as do Beretta. There are also other good Italian makers out there. My preference is for Browning as that is what fits me best.

Also, Trap and Skeet are different games. What works best for one does not work so well for the other. I like shorter barrels myself, having both 26" and 24" barrels on my O/U. Other folks like longer barrels.

You are on the lower end of anything quality with your price cap for an O/U dedicated for clay target games. I would also suggest looking at a good quality used gun.

Always a good idea. People don't abuse 5 to 10 thousand dollar guns so used ones look like new.

I work the trap range at my local club and I see all kinds of very expensive shotguns ( some as high as 60K+). One thing I've noticed is that the price of the gun doesn't reflect shooter ability. One of our best shooters shoots a Remington 870 (highly modified). I suggest hanging out at the trap range and talking to the other shooters. Try to fondle some guns to find what you like best.

You are on the lower end of anything quality with your price cap for an O/U dedicated for clay target games. I would also suggest looking at a good quality used gun.

I agree.

I've known plenty of wealthy businessmen who went once or twice to shoot trap, skeet or sporting clays and then went out and spent $2500+ on shotguns. They then use the gun a couple more times and then moved on to another hobby. After a year or so they are more than willing to sell the gun at a significant loss.

It should also be noted that a great deal of the pricing for Brownings, Berettas and other high end guns is cosmetic. The price will go up thousands based on the quality of the wood and scrolling on the metal. This has NOTHING to do with how the gun will shoot.

cap jaz has good advice: look around for a good used gun. Because of these troubling economic times, even I am amazed at what's showing up at the pawn and gun shops. Remember, also, that ofttimes, a gun fancier dies and his survivors are left with a collection of firearms on their hands, and they turn to the local pawn shop to get rid of them. While this practice may be ill-advised in getting what the gun is really worth, none the less, such is reality, and there's no reason we shooters shouldn't profit from it.

No. The best place to look for a used trap gun is at your local range. Ask around. Someone there has two or three at home that they bought when the were just getting started. Going the gun broker route will cost lots more.

When I worked for Cessna, they had a skeet range a mile north of my house. I think you can shoot a decent round of skeet with any good hunting gun. Trap is a different beast. With a $1500 budget, I might look for a nice Remington 1100, a second trap barrel, and a shot shell reloader.

My perspective is as a former competitive skeet shooter. I've put a lot of rounds down range....... Unless your motivation is to shoot all guages out of the same platform by adding tubes, I'd highly recommend that you consider something like a Rem 1100. Even if you're only semi-serious, it's easy to shoot many hundreds of rounds in a week......often over the course of a weekend. You'll be glad for the reduced recoil and with different barrels available, it's a heck of a lot more versatile too.

Just my .02 worth.

BTW.....if you're absolutely stuck on the O/U, I don't think that the Beretta's can be beat for the $'s.

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."

My perspective is as a former competitive skeet shooter. I've put a lot of rounds down range....... Unless your motivation is to shoot all guages out of the same platform by adding tubes, I'd highly recommend that you consider something like a Rem 1100. Even if you're only semi-serious, it's easy to shoot many hundreds of rounds in a week......often over the course of a weekend. You'll be glad for the reduced recoil and with different barrels available, it's a heck of a lot more versatile too.

Just my .02 worth.

BTW.....if you're absolutely stuck on the O/U, I don't think that the Beretta's can be beat for the $'s.

I couldn't agree more, I had a Ruger Red Label at one time.
Never did it out shoot my 1100.